Car door



A. s. BARRows i Sept. 1,- 1931.

CAR DOOR Filed Aug. 10, 1927 Patented Sept. l, 1931" carro STAT-EsPATENT oFFicE i ALLAN S. BARROWS, 0F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORT0 THE YOUNGSTOWN STEEL DOOR COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATIONOF OHIO vCAR noon Application iled August 10, 1927. Serial No.v212,004.

This invention relates to improvements in car doors.

An object of the invention is to provide a closure of the double outsidesliding type for the door opening of a railWaycar, said closureincluding a main door and an auxiliary door of a character moreparticularly used in connection With cars in which automobiles,furniture and other large articles, are transported. f

A more particular object of the invention is to provide a closure of thecharacter referred to in which the Aauxiliary door carries a metallicdoor post having means adapted for the detachable reception of grainboards such` as utilized' when the cars arel employed for thetransportation of grain or similar material, and wherein the connectionof the boards With the auxiliary door post is effected Without the useof nails, bolts or other fastening devices.`

A further object of the invention is to provide a double door closure ofthe character mentioned, wherein means are provided forautomatically-locking the auxiliary door in its so-called closedposition so as to provide an abutment With Which the main doorcooperates.

Other and further objects of the invention will more clearly appear fromthe description and claims hereinafter following.

In. the drawings forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is abroken horizontal sectional view taken through the mam and auxiliarydoors, and the side door posts of a railway car, the doors being brokento better accommodate the view to the sheet. Figure 2 is a verticalsectional vieu1 ofthe invention talren substantially on the line 2 2 ofFigure 1, and showing the mountings on the car for supporting the doors,parte of the construction being broken. And Figure 3 is a verticalsectional view corresponding to line 3-3 of Figure 1, and showing upperand vlower parts of the door frame, portions of the view being brokenavvay.

Referring to the draWinUs, 10 and 11 indicate portions of the lsideWall; of a box car, and 12 and 13 denote vertically extending door postsat opposite sides of the door opening in the side Wall of the car, eachof the posts 12 and 13 beinguprovided With an angular metalliccover-plate indicated at 14 and 15, one end of each of the free ends 16and 17 of the plates 14 and 15 providing means adapted to co-operatewith portions of the door structure hereinafterV described. The upperportion of the door frame is defined by a Z-shaped side plate indicatedat 18, the depending flange of which has mounted thereon a Z-shapedmember 18a having a depending flange 185. The threshold of door frame isindicated at 19, and a track 19a is provided mounted on brackets securedto the side sill of the car. Y

In the arrangement shown, tWo sliding outside. doors are employed, oneofV Which may be termed the auxiliary door and designated A, and theother a somewhat wider door Which may be termed the main door anddesignated by the reference character B. The-auxiliarydoor A is composedof sheet metal throughout and preferably includes a plurality ofconnected panels arf ranged in rectangular form, the forward and rearedges of the rectangular formation being provided with verticallyextending corrugations 20 and 21 which merge at the top and bottomportions ofL the rectangular formation with horizontally disposedcorrugations 22 and 23, the rectangular formation outwardly of thecorrugations 20-21 being kprovided With marginal portions v2li and` 25,While at the top and bottom of the door marginal sections 26 and 27 areprovided. At the top of the door the corrugation 23 is spanned by areinforcing strip 28 which is riveted to the main body portion of thedoor as indicated at 29 and 30. On the outer surface of the marginalsection 26 of the main bodyportion of the door along the top edgethereof, there is provided an angle bar31 having one flange secured tosaid marginal section by the rivets indicated at 30, While the otherflange of the bar 31 is horizontally disposed and `is adapted tocooperate with the depending liange of the Z member 18a to maintain thedoor in proper position during its sliding movements. At

the bottom of the door the corrugation 22 is spanned by reinforcingstrip 32, said strip being fastened to the main body portion of the doorby rivets indicated at 33 and 34. Secured to the outer side of themarginal section 27 at the lower edge of the door, are roller housings,`indicated at 35 carrying rollers 36 which run upon the track 19a. Atthe rear of the door the corrugation 20 is spanned by reinforcing strip37 secured to the main body portion of the door by rivets 38, the strip37 at the extreme marginal edge of the door being provided with anangular extension 39 adapted to cooperate with the extension 16 on theplate 14 to provide a weather andY spark seal at the rear end of thedoor when the same is in closed position. The corrugation 21 at theforward edge of the door is also spanned by a reinforcing strip 40, saidstrip having its opposite marginal edges secured to the main bodyportion of the doorby rivets 41 and 42. To the outer surface of themarginal section 25 is secured the movable door post 43. The post 43comprises a 'relatively heavy metallic member including a web 44extending substantially perpendicular with respect to the main plane ofthe door, and at each end of the web 44 the member 43 is provided withangularly disposed head portions 45 and 46, the portion 45 providingiianges 46L and 47, while the head portion 46 provides flanges 48 and49. The flange 48 of the head 46 of the member 43 is disposed with itsinner surface fiat against the marginal surface of the door A and theflange 48 is rigidly secured to the marginal section by the rivets 42.The web 44 of the member 43 is of such length as to project inwardly-ofthe main plane of the door A a considerable distance so as to disposethe head 45 of the member 43 somewhat inwardly of the plane defined bythe inner face of the door post'- 12. EX- tending diagonally lfrom theinner surface of the door A toward the web 44 of the member 43 is areinforcing element 50. Said element is secured to the door A by therivets 41, and to the web 44 by the rivets indicated at 51. inwardlybeyond t-he connecting rivets 51 the element 50 is provided with anangular flange 52 spaced from and disposed substantially in parallelrelation with the flange 46fl of the head 45 o-f the member 43, theflanges 52 and 46;L and the web 44 defining a groove 53 adaptedfor thedetachable reception o f thel ends of the boards 54, the opposite endsof the boards 54, when the door A is in closed position, being nailed tothe post 12 as indicated at 55. Secured to the surface of the web 44opposite to the face to which the element 50 is secured is a member 56channel-shaped in cross section, the web of said member being secured tothe web 44 of the post 43 by means of the rivets 51 which secure theelement 50 in position, and by the rivets 57 which extend through theweb of the channel member and the web of the post 43. The flangeA 57L ofthe member 56 is disposed in spaced parallel relation with the flange 47of the member 43 to provide a groove 58 for the reception of the ends ofthe boards 59, the opposite ends of said boards being adapted to benailed to the post 13 as indicated at 60. The other flange 61 of themember 56 is disposed in spaced relation with reference to the flange 49of the head 46 of the member 43 and provides a groove 621 for thereception of the forward edge of the main door B. The main door B isalso composed throughout of metal, and except for its greater width, andthe omission of the door post, is practically identical in constructionwith the auxiliary door A and similar reference characters will beutilized to designate like parts of both.

In the use of doors of this character, means must be provided forlocking the auxiliary door A in closed position. In eecting thispurpose, a gravity actuated latch 62 is provided. Said latch ispivotally mounted upon a bracket 63 secured to the web of the Z-shapedmember 18, by means of a pivot pin 64, to swing in a plane parallel tothe plane of movement of the door A when slid back and forth across thedoor opening. The end 65 of the latch 62 is of greater length than theend 66 of said latch so that the end 65, which is disposed in adirection toward the door A, is normally urged, through the influence ofgravity, in a downward direction, the upper edge of said latch beingbevelled as indicated at 67 to permit the end 65 to be moved in anupward direction, while the extremity 68 of the end 66 of the latchbears against the undersurface of the web of the member 18 to limitdownward movement of the end 65 of the latch. The end 65 of the latch isprovided with a shoulder 69 adapted to engage behind the top end of theweb 44 of the door post 43 when the door A is moved in a closingdirection, the end 65 of the latch being bevelled as indicated at 70 topermit the latch to ride over the top of the web 44 of the post 43during the time that the door A is being closed. The end 65 of the latch62 .is also provided with a shoulder 690 adapted to engage the top endof the web 44 in certain positions of the parts. Reciprocably mountedupon the inner face of the web 44 is a locking bar or bolt 71, said barbeing provided with slots 72 adapter to receive rivets 73 which extendthrough the web 44 of the member 43, and the web of the member 56,whereby the bar 71 may be reciprocated in a vertical direction, thelower end 74 of which under the influence of gravity normally projectsbelow the bottom edge of the door post and is adapted to be disposed ina recess 75, corresponding in position to the shoulder 69, formed in akeeper casting 76. Said keeper casting is also provided with a recess750, correspond ing in position with the shoulder 690, adapted for thereception ofthe lower end of the bar 71 when the parts are in certainpositions. The casting 76 is mounted upon the threshold 19 of the doorand is provided with inclined surfaces 77 and V78, the surface 77providing cam means to permit the lower end 74 of the bar to ridethereover into position to enter the recess 75 when the door is beingmoved to closed position. The upper end of the bar 71 is provided with aturned port-ion 79 adapted to engage the lower surface of the end of thelatch 62 so that upward reciprocation of the bar 71 will move the end 65of the latch so that the Shoulder 69 is clear of the web 44, the upwardmovement of the bar 71 also serving to retract the lower end 74 of thebar from the recess 75 in the keeper casting. The reciprocation of thebar 7l may be effected through the medium of a handle 8O which projectsoutwardly through a slot 81 in the diagonal member 50, movement of saidhandle in an upward direction serving to lift the bar 71.

When it is desired to use the car for the transportation of largeobjects, such as automobiles, furniture, and the like, the boards 54 and59 of course are dispensed with. During such use the auxiliary doorvAwhen moved in a closing direction automatically brings into operationthe locking bar 71 and the latch 62, the lower end of the bar droppinginto the recess 75 in the casting, and the shoulder 69 of the latchdropping over the upper end of the web 44 of the post 43, therebysecuring the auxiliary door in its closed position, the post member 43serving as an abutment and seal for the door B when the latter isclosed, the forward edge of the door B being accommodated in the grooveprovided by the langes 61 and 49 of the channel member 56 and head 46 ofthe post 43. If it is desired to move and lock the door A a slightlygreater distance forwardly as is sometimes necessary on account ofdistortion ofthe car body andother parts, the lowerend of the bar 71 maybe retracted and engaged with the recess 750 which brings the shoulder690 of the latch 62 into position to engage the top end of the web 44.In order to open the doors, the main door B is first slid back in theusual manner, after which the handle may be grasped by the operator andlifted, which retracts the lower end of the bar 74 from the recess 75 orrecess 750 as the case may be to free the lower end of the door post,and by reason of the simultaneous upward movement of the angular portion79 of the bar, the latch 62 is lifted, freeing the upper by the flange46a and 52 of the members 50 and 45, and the opposite ends of the boardsmay be nailed to the door post 12. In like manner the ends of the boards59 maybe inserted into the groove 5S provided by the flanges 47 and 57,and the opposite ends of the boards nailed to the post 13.r The maindoor B then may be closed and locked.

By the above described arrangement it will be appreciated that automaticmeans are provided for locking the door both at its upper and lower endswhich means may be simultaneously disconnected to permit openingmovement of the door. In addition, the door post is of such characterkasto permit of the engagement of the grain boards therewith without thenecessity of nailing or bolting the same to the movable door post, andhence said door `post is of practically indestructible character and provides for eliicient and convenient operation at all times.

VVhile I have herein shown and described what I vconsider the preferredmanner of carrying out the invention, the same is merely illustrativeand I contemplate all changes and modifications which come within thescope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a car, the combination with a main sliding door; of an auxiliarysliding door having the main portion comprised of sheet metalterminating in a marginal flange, the latter having a member associatedtherewith, said member comprising a web portion extending inwardly ofthe `main plane defined by the body portion of said door, andsubstantially at right angles thereto, and provided with oppositelyextending flanges, one of which is rigidly secured to the forward edgeof said auxiliary door on the outer face thereof, whereby said webportion provides an abutment and the rigidly secured flange protects thesheet metal flange.

2. In' a car, the combination with a main sliding door having a thin'forward edge; of an auxiliary sheet metal door having a movable doorpost associated with its front edge, said door post comprising a webportion extending inwardly of the plane de# lined by the main bodyportion of the door and substantially at right angles thereto, saidl webportion being provided with flanges extending laterally to oppositesides of said web portion, one of which is adapted to overlap the withinedge of said main door on the outer face thereof when the latter isclosed, and the other of which is rigidly secured to the forward edge ofsaid auxiliary door on the outer face of the latter, said web portionand rigidly secured flange protecting the forward edge of the sheetmetal of the auxiliary door.

3. In a car, the combination with a main sliding door; of an auxiliarysliding door, said latter door having` member associated with itsforward edge, said member comprising a portion extending inwardly of theplane denedby the main body portion of the door, and substantially atright angles thereto, and including oppositely disposed flanges upon itsouter end, one of which is rigidly secured to the outer face of themarginal edge of said auxiliary door, while the other is adapted tocooperate with the forward edge of the main door when the latter is inclosed position; and means associated with said member and having aportion inwardly spaced from and extending substantially parallel withsaid other flange of said member to provide a groove for the receptionof the forward edge of the main door.

4l. In a car, the combination with a main sliding door;of an auxiliarysliding door having rigidly secured at its forward edge a memberincluding a web portion extending inwardly beyond the plane defined bythe main body portion of said door and substantially at right anglesthereto said web portion providing an abutment for the forward edge ofthe maindoor, the inner end of said member having laterally disposedflanges connected thereto; and means connected with said web portion atopposite sides thereof and arranged in spaced relation with reference tosaid laterally disposed flanges and cooperating with the latter` toprovide recesses for the detachable reception of ends of boards.

5. In a car, the combination with a main sliding door; of an auxiliarysliding door, the latter having rigidly secured to its forward edge amember provided with a web portion extending inwardly of the planedefined by the main body portion of the door, said web portion formingan abutment for the front edge of the main door and at its outer endbeing provided with a flange adapted to overlap said main door when thesame is closed, and said portion at its opposite end being provided withlateral flanges extending to opposite sides of said portion; and meansdisposed between the ends of said portion and cooperating with thelaterally extending flanges thereon to provide recesses for thedetachable reception of the ends of boards.

6. Ina car, the combinationwith a main Lesmo;

sliding door; of an auxiliary sliding door, the latter having rigidlysecured to its forward edge a member provided with a portion extendinginwardly of the plane defined by the main body portion of the door, saidportion at its outer end being provided with a flange adapted to overlapsaid main door when the same is closed, and said portion at its oppositeend being provided with flanges extending to opposite sides of saidportion; and means disposed between the ends of said portion andcooperating with the last mentioned flanges thereon to provide recessesfor the detachable reception of the ends of boards, said means alsocooperating with the flange at the outer end of said portion to providea recess for the reception of the forward edge of said main door.

' 7. In a car, the combination with a main sliding door; of an auxiliarysliding door; a member secured to the forward edge of said auxiliarydoor and extending inwardly of the main plane thereof and arranged toserve as an abutment for the forward edge of the main door; and meansadjacent the inner end of said member on opposite sides thereof havingelements adapted for the loose accommodation of oppositely extendingboard ends.

A door of the character described, comprising a main body portion, and adoor post secured along one edge, said post including a portionextending to one side of the main plane of the door and provided with anangularly disposed flange at its inner end; and means secured to saiddoor and to said portion, said means cooperating with said flange toprovide for the detachable reception of a board end.

9. A door comprising a main body portion and a door post secured at oneedge thereof, said post including Va portion extending substantially atright angles to the main plane. of said door and inwardly thereof, theopposite ends of said portion being provided with angularly disposedflanges; and a member secured to said portion having means cooperatingwith the flange at the inner end of said portion adapted for thedetachable reception of a board end, and the opposite end of said memberhaving means cooperating with the flange at the outer end of saidportion toprovide a recess for the detachable reception of the edge of acooperating door.

10. In a car, the combination with a main sliding door composed of sheetmetal;of an auxiliary door having a member disposed at its front edge,said member including a portion extending inwardly of the plane definedby the main body of the door, said portion at its outer end beingprovided with flanges extending laterally upon each side and a bracingelement secured to said door in its main plane and extending at an angleinwardly toward said member and being secured thereto, said portionbeing provided with an angular flange on its inner end, and said elementbeing provided with a flange on its inner end, said flanges being spacedapart to provide a recess for the detachable reception of a board end.

11. In a car, the combination with a main sliding door; of an auxiliarysliding door having a member secured to its forward edge, a portion ofsaid member extending to one side of the main plane of the door, andsaid portion being provided at one end with oppositely extendinglaterally disposed flanges, and at its opposite end being provided withsimilar flanges; means mounted on said member at opposite sides thereofand having portions co-operating with the inner flanges on said memberto provide recesses for the reception of board ends, said means on oneside of said member co-operating with one of the flanges on the outerend of said member to provide a recess for the reception of the forwardedge of said main sliding door.

12. A door comprising a main portion, a post attached to one edgethereof and extending at an angle to the main plane of said portion;bracing means attached to said main portion and extending diagonally toand secured to said post and thereby forming a pocket between the postbracing means and main portion; and latching means housed within saidpocket. i

13. In a car, the combination with a slidable auxiliary door; of a postsecured to the front edge of said door, said post being provided withthree longitudinally extending grooves, two of said grooves beinglocated at the inner end of said post and adapted for the reception ofends of grain boards, the third groove being disposed at the outer endof the post and adapted for the reception of the forward edge of a maindoor.

14. In car construction, the combination with a door frame member; of aslidable door having a post at its forward edge; and cooperable meansmounted on said post and frame member having different positions ofinterlocking engagement whereby to lock the door in a plurality ofdifferent positions whereby to compensate for variations in the carstructure.

15. In car construction, the combination with a car body having a dooropening defined in part by a threshold and a lintel; of a door slidableover said opening and provided with a post at its forward edge;cooperable means carried by the lintel and the upper end of said postadapted for interlocking engagement in a plurality of positions; andcooperable means carried by `the post and the threshold adapted "forfinterlockingl engagement in ra plurality of .different positionswhereby Ato compensate for variations in the car structure.'

16. Ina door, the combinationy with a main portion comprisedof sheetmetal having tion, the websection offsaid post extending inwardly of themain plane of the door; and '80 'a diagonally disposed brace platesecured along its edges to the mainV sheet metal portion and theinwardly extended web section of the post, respectively, said braceplate extending substantially from top to bottom l of the door.

17. A door for railway cars comprising: A sheet metal main portionhaving a marginalr flange at its forward edge in the same plane as-themain portion of the sheet metal; an I-beam havingione of its flangesoverlapped and secured to said marginal flange to weather protect thelatter, the corresponding adjacent lange of the -beain extending in theopposite direction and adapted tooverlap the forward edge of an adjacentdoor; and bracing means extending diagonally from the main sheet metalportion of said door inwardly and forwardly to and secured to the web ofsaid -beain. 5100 18. As an article of manufacture, a slidable metaldoor having a metal sheet with a vertical corrugation at 'the front edgethereof offset outwardly from the main plane of the sheet and providedwith a fiat 5105 marginal portion beyond the corrugation;

a post having a web section and a flange section along its outer edge,the flange section being secured to the outer face of said flat marginalportion, the web section exlT1310 tending inwardly of said main plane ofthe sheet; and a vertically extending post bracing plate attached to themetal sheet inwardly of said corrugation and extendingl diagonally toand secured at intervals to the l1115 web section of said post inwardly7of the plane of the sheet, said bracing platebeing in spaced relation tosaid marginal portion.

19. In a car having door opening, the combination with a. main slidabledoor; of 12@ an auxiliary slidable door, said auxiliary door having ahollow tubular combined post and bracing structure along the forwardedge thereof; means for latching said pos: and bracing means to the carbody when 5125 the auxiliary door is in closed position; and means forreleasing said latching means, the releasing means including an elementhoused within said tubular post and bracing structure.

20. As an article of manufacture, a slid- Y able metal door having themain vportion thereof comprised of a metal sheet with a verticallyextending corrugation adjacent the front edge thereof and provided witha Hat marginal portion beyond said corrugation; a bridging stripextending lengthwise of said oorrugation and overlying the same andsecured along its edges to the metal sheet along opposite sides of saidcorrugation; a post having a web section and Va flange section extendingvertically along'its outer edge, said {iange section overlying the outerface of said marginal portion, the web section extending inwardly acrossthe edges of both said marginal portion and bridging strip to a pointinwardly of the main plane of the sheet; and a vertically extendingbracing plate attached to the metal sheet inwardly of said corrugationand to the web section of said post, said bracing plate extendingangularly inwardly from the main plane of the sheet.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis Qth day of July, 1927.

ALLAN S. BARROWS.

